Funny how few of these are actually from a scriptural basis, eh? I never read anything about cuff links or tasseled shoes in Leviticus... :-P

I make a point of dressing up for church. If I was going to meet the governor at his home, I would dress up (well, maybe- Kitzhaber is the guy who wears cowboy boots, jeans and an enormous belt buckle with is tie and jacket- I don't think he'd care what I wore, and I have met him, so...). If I would dress up to meet a human, why wouldn't I dress up to go to God's house, yanno? I know I would be accepted is I walked in wearing jeans, but I still feel like it is right to wear nice clothes. And I wear a hat. (I'm Episcopalian, after all. ;-)

There's a guy in our parish who started attending about a year ago, about the time I did. About my age (40something), but he's had substance abuse problems and was in and out of shelters. He had a huge mop of untamed hair and messy clothes.

The change in him has been remarkable- nothing short of astounding. He's clean, he now helping _run_ the men's transitional shelter, he dresses casually but neatly, he's cut his hair and our deacon helped him find a program to get new glasses for him. He's very active and has been a real help with the maintenance (most of our parishoners are well past retirement age and can't do that sort of stuff anymore), is the crucifer in services, just today was made an official Lay Eucharistic Minister (he helps serve communion) and is representing us at the diocese council.

The outside changes have been good, but I see them as a reflection of his inward changes. His life has completely turned around in one year. If that isn't a miracle, I don't know what it is.